Three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial

Abstract

A three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial having a completely new constitution, which functions as a three-dimensional electromagnetic wave propagation medium and in which an equivalent permittivity and a permeability of the medium simultaneously take negative values. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial is structured such that cubic unit cells 5 are disposed repeatedly in three orthogonal directions of a three-dimensional space, and includes: a first particle 1 constituted by a conductor and disposed in positions centering on respective vertices of the unit cell; a second particle 2 constituted by a conductor and disposed in positions centering on face center points, which are centers of respective faces of the unit cell; a first connecting portion constituted by a conductor, which connects the first particles to a center point of the unit cell; and a second connecting portion constituted by a conductor, which connects the second particles to the center point.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial structured such that cubic unit cells are disposed repeatedly in three orthogonal directions of a three-dimensional space, each unit cell comprising:
 a first particle constituted by a conductor and disposed in positions centering on respective vertices of said unit cell; 
 a second particle constituted by a conductor and disposed in positions centering on face center points, which are centers of respective faces of said unit cell; 
 a first connecting portion constituted by a conductor, which electrically connects said first particles to a center point of said unit cell; and 
 a second connecting portion constituted by a conductor, which electrically connects said second particles to said center point. 
 
     
     
       2. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 1 , wherein said first particles and said second particles are spheres. 
     
     
       3. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 2 , wherein a radius of said spheres constituting said first particles and said second particles is between 0.20 and 0.30 times a dimension of one side of said unit cell. 
     
     
       4. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 3 , wherein the dimension of one side of said unit cell is no greater than 0.5 times a wavelength of a propagated electromagnetic wave in a vacuum. 
     
     
       5. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 1 , wherein said three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial is formed as a lens made of a material having a negative refractive index and functions as a lens capable of realizing a resolution that exceeds a diffraction limit. 
     
     
       6. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 2 , wherein said three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial is formed as a lens made of a material having a negative refractive index and functions as a lens capable of realizing a resolution that exceeds a diffraction limit. 
     
     
       7. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 3 , wherein said three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial is formed as a lens made of a material having a negative refractive index and functions as a lens capable of realizing a resolution that exceeds a diffraction limit. 
     
     
       8. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial according to  claim 4 , wherein said three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial is formed as a lens made of a material having a negative refractive index and functions as a lens capable of realizing a resolution that exceeds a diffraction limit.